Author: Jo Dawes

On Sunday 4 May it's the Hamburg Marathon. There will be no vehicle access to St Thomas Becket, as we're within the marathon route. Please leave your car at home and come by public transport instead. Leave yourself plenty of time, too, because the trains and pavements will be full.

On Saturday, 12 April, the Wanderers will be off for a walk in Burg (Dithmarschen), led by Eileen Liebender. The 10/12km route leads through lovely countryside and then along the towpath of the Kiel canal.

Walkers should meet at 9.10am at Altona main station, outside the Reisezentrum, to buy sufficient Schleswig-Holstein Tickets for those taking part. You will be catching the 9.33 NOB train arriving at Itzehoe at 10.21 where you will change on to the RB train leaving for Burg at 10.47.and arriving at 11.06. Eileen will meet the train.

Please bring a picnic for lunch, but the aim is to to go for K u. K. at the “Hacienda” (set price – eat as much as you like, even if it is still Lent!) before returning to the station for the train home.

Eileen doesn't need to know how many are coming, but if you have any questions please call her on 04825/1855.

Music by Vivaldi and Handel and a premiere of five songs by Katja Krüger are on the programme at St Thomas Becket on Saturday, 12 April at 5pm. The “Sicilian programme” will be performed by Claudio Branca and Jana Lubach, violin, Hjördis Krüger, soprano and Emré and Yunus Simsek, Saz, with the Inselfinken and Sonntagsorchester conducted by Susanne Schott. Admission is free but donations are welcome. For more information see Musikinsel Finkenwerder or telephone 040/ 679 535 05.

The new edition of Becket News is out. Click here for the latest news and views from STB.

Actor Mark Lyndon will be giving a charity performance in the church of his popular one-man show “How to be a Hamburger” on 20 March 2014 at 7.30pm. Admission is free, but donations in aid of the Anglican Church of St Thomas Becket and Hamburger Leuchtfeuer Hospiz are very welcome. Miss it if you dare!

The next edition of Becket News is due at the end of March.

The editor would appreciate articles, event news, reports on activities and other information for inclusion by Saturday 22 March at the latest. Please send to becketnews (at) aol.com.

This coming Saturday, 8 March, Nicki and Johann Schiller will lead the Church Wanderers on a walk along the Elbe from Schnackenbek to Lauenburg with its historic town centre.

Please meet at the 8800 bus stop outside Bergedorf station to catch the 10.45 bus (direction Lauenburg), alighting at Schnackenburg. Those coming by train from Hamburg, please note that the S21 dep.10.04 from Hbf arrives Bergedorf 10.25, or the 10.14 arriving 10.35 should also enable you to catch the bus. Allow plenty of time, as the next possible bus would be Schnellbus 31 at 11.24.

Tickets to Schnackenbek and Lauenburg are in the HVV Gesamtbereich. If you have a season ticket for Grossbereich only, you will need an “Ergänzungskarte für 2 Ringe”, costing €2 one way, available on the bus or on the internet. Others should buy a Tageskarte for Gesamtbereich, unless you are driving by car to Bergedorf, of course.

Please bring a picnic lunch and come with smiling faces, even if the sun is not shining.

Important Please let Nicki know by the evening of Friday, 7 March if you are planning to come. If you have any questions, please contact her:
email: nicki.schiller@gmx.de Tel: 04104/69 55 37
A call or text message to 0176 30 393 063 will reach her for any last-minute messages on the day of the walk.

It's Ash Wednesday on 5 March. There will be two services of Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes: at 10.30am and 7pm.

If you've signed up for the Lenten study course, don't forget that the first session is on Wednesday, 12 March at 7pm in Fr Matthew's flat. The group will be looking at the film “Chocolat” and using the study guide “Christ and the Chocolaterie”. Please speak to Fr Matthew if you haven't put your name down but would still like to attend.

Lent Appeal
We will be collecting during Lent for the Bishop's Lent Appeal. This year's appeal is in partnership with Christian Aid for money to support the education and empowerment of over 1,000 women in Afghanistan. Read more on the Diocese in Europe website.

Servicegoers yesterday (23 Feb) got a sneak preview of Rachel Harris's coming concert when she provided solo violin meditations during the parish eucharist. She will be playing works by J.S.Bach, Telemann and Pisendel in a programme entitled “à Violino Solo” on Saturday 1 March at 7.30pm in the Anglican Church of St Thomas Becket – admission free. We're in for a treat!

Would like to join the parish choir to sing The Crucifixion by John Stainer on 10 April? If so, our choir director, Yotin Tiewtrakul would like to hear from you. You can find details of the project, rehearsals, and how to reach Yotin here.